Oxford University offers a fully funded undergraduate scholarship that most people have never heard of, and the application window for the 2027 intake is open right now until 31 July 2026. The Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme is not a standard scholarship. It does not simply pay your tuition and leave you to get on with a normal Oxford degree. It combines full funding for any undergraduate course at the University of Oxford with paid internships at the Ellison Institute of Technology every summer between academic years, placing you inside research teams working on some of the most consequential scientific and technological challenges facing humanity, including generative biology, artificial intelligence, food security, climate change, and pandemic preparedness.
The programme is run by the Ellison Institute of Technology, a research and innovation organisation established by Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, with a a £130 million strategic alliance with the University of Oxford announced in December 2024. The EIT is based at the Oxford Science Park and is building a new expanded Oxford campus, with its presence in the city growing significantly since 2024.
This article covers everything you need to know about the Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme for the 2027 intake, including the exact application timeline, eligibility requirements, what the scholarship actually provides, what the internships involve, and how to submit your application before the 31 July 2026 deadline.
What Is the Ellison Institute of Technology
The Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford is an independent research and innovation organisation that describes its mission as directing the advancement and translation of science and technology toward solving humanity’s biggest problems. It operates several research institutes including a Generative Biology Institute led by Professor Jason Chin, a Plant Biology Institute, a Pathogen Program, an AI and Robotics Institute, a Materials and Devices for Life Sciences programme, and an Africa Clinical Research Network.
The EIT’s partnership with the University of Oxford, formalised in a a £130 million strategic alliance in December 2024, means that Ellison Scholars are simultaneously part of the University of Oxford’s academic community and embedded within the EIT’s applied research environment. This dual positioning is what distinguishes the Ellison Scholars Programme from other Oxford scholarships, because scholars are not just funded to study at Oxford, they are active contributors to EIT research projects during their time outside term.
The Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme admitted its first cohort of scholars in October 2025, welcomed a second cohort in April 2026, and opened applications for the third cohort, the 2027 intake, on 1 May 2026.
What the Scholarship Provides
According to the official EIT undergraduate scholarship page, the programme provides scholars with the following:
Full financial support for undergraduate study at the University of Oxford, described by the EIT as “generous financial support” covering the costs of an Oxford undergraduate degree. The specific financial package details are confirmed during the application process.
Paid ten-week internships at EIT Oxford during each long vacation (summer) between academic years. These are not optional enrichment activities. They are a central and required component of the programme, during which scholars work directly with EIT research teams on live projects.
Access to state-of-the-art facilities at EIT Oxford, including the research laboratories, equipment, and infrastructure associated with the EIT’s scientific institutes.
Direct working relationships with world-leading experts across the EIT’s research programmes, providing mentorship and professional networks that extend well beyond what a standard undergraduate experience offers.
Onboarding support from the EIT Education and Scholarships team as scholars prepare to begin their studies at Oxford, as well as ongoing support throughout the programme.
The Four Areas Where Internship Projects Are Focused
The EIT has structured its research and the associated internship projects around four major focus areas, which it describes as “humane endeavours” that provide direction for the global problems it is working to address.
- Health, Medical Science and Generative Biology
This focus area spans the EIT’s work in vaccine development, cancer research, generative biology (the engineering of biological systems for therapeutic and other purposes), and pandemic preparedness through the Pathogen Program. The Generative Biology Institute, led by Professor Jason Chin, is working on what the EIT describes as the generation of new biological entities and functions with significant implications for medicine and human health.
- Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture
The Plant Biology Institute at EIT focuses on developing scientifically grounded and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health. Projects in this area sit at the intersection of plant science, agricultural technology, and climate adaptation.
- Climate Change and Managing Atmospheric CO2
The EIT’s work in this area addresses the challenge of reducing and managing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, with projects spanning materials science, energy technology, and atmospheric chemistry.
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
The AI and Robotics Institute at EIT works on applications of AI and robotics across the institute’s research programmes, including healthcare, biological research, and industrial processes.
The EIT is explicit that the list of relevant skills is not exhaustive, and encourages strong candidates with backgrounds in computer science, artificial intelligence, economics, mathematics, robotics, plant sciences, machine learning, chemistry, biology, engineering, medicine, or microbiology to apply. Candidates who believe their skills would benefit an EIT project and who meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply even if their specific discipline is not listed.
Eligibility Requirements
The Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme has two tiers of eligibility requirements: University of Oxford entry requirements and EIT selection criteria. Applicants who do not meet either set of requirements are not eligible for the programme.
- University of Oxford Entry Requirements
Applicants must have, or be on track to be awarded, a secondary education or high school leaving qualification, diploma or certificate that is accepted by the University of Oxford. The University’s international qualifications page lists the specific qualifications accepted from each country.
Applicants must have met, or be on track to meet, the minimum grade requirements for their chosen undergraduate course at Oxford. These vary by course and are published on each individual course page on the Oxford admissions website. Most Oxford undergraduate courses require grades at or near the top of whatever qualification system the applicant is studying.
Applicants must have met, or be on track to meet, the University of Oxford’s English language requirements for their chosen undergraduate course. These requirements apply to applicants whose first language is not English and are published on the Oxford admissions website.
2) EIT Selection Criteria
The EIT publishes selection criteria separately on its Ellison Scholars page. These criteria address the qualities and characteristics the EIT looks for in scholars beyond the academic requirements. The EIT describes itself as seeking “academically excellent individuals who have put their knowledge and passion into action and have the ambition to make a real impact.” The selection process is described as highly competitive.
The EIT’s eligibility checker on the undergraduate page asks four questions to help applicants assess whether they meet these requirements before beginning a formal application. Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria are strongly dissuaded from applying.
The 2027 Application Timeline
The following timeline applies specifically to the 2027 undergraduate intake, with dates confirmed on the official EIT undergraduate scholarship page as of 1 May 2026.
May to July 2026: Application Window
Applications opened on 1 May 2026 and close on 31 July 2026. The application is submitted through the EIT’s dedicated application portal at ellisonscholars.eit.org/undergraduate. The EIT offers online information sessions and webinars for prospective applicants during this period, which can be registered for through the EIT student portal.
September to October 2026: Semi-Finalist Selection
The EIT reviews all applications received by 31 July 2026 and selects semi-finalists. Semi-finalists are then required to apply to the University of Oxford independently, following the University’s own separate and independent admissions process and its deadlines, which typically fall in October for most Oxford undergraduate courses.
January to February 2027: Finalist Identification
Semi-finalists who receive an offer of admission from the University of Oxford automatically progress to the finalist stage. This means that receiving an Oxford offer is a prerequisite for progressing beyond semi-finalist status. The EIT then conducts its own final selection process among the pool of finalists who have Oxford offers.
March to April 2027: Ellison Scholars Announced
Ellison Scholars are selected from the finalist pool, onboarded, and announced. The EIT Education and Scholarships team supports successful scholars as they prepare for their arrival in Oxford.
October 2027: Scholars Begin Studies
The 2027 cohort of Undergraduate Ellison Scholars begins their first academic year at the University of Oxford and their engagement with EIT Oxford.
This two-stage process is important to understand clearly. You apply to the EIT Ellison Scholars Programme first (by 31 July 2026), and if selected as a semi-finalist you then apply to Oxford separately (by Oxford’s own October deadline). You cannot skip the EIT application and apply directly to Oxford, and you cannot apply to Oxford first and then the EIT. The EIT application is the starting point.
How This Compares to Other Oxford Scholarship Programmes
The Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme is distinct from other Oxford-based funding opportunities in several important ways that are worth understanding if you are researching Oxford scholarships more broadly.
Unlike the Reach Oxford Scholarship, which is targeted specifically at students from low-income countries who cannot study for a degree in their home country, the Ellison Scholars Programme does not appear to have a geographic restriction on eligibility beyond meeting Oxford’s admissions requirements. The programme is open to applicants from any country who meet the academic and selection criteria.
Unlike standard Oxford University financial aid, which is typically means-tested and applied for through the university, the Ellison Scholars Programme is a merit and talent-based award administered by a private research institute rather than the university itself, and the selection criteria extend beyond academic achievement to include demonstrated impact, ambition, and fit with EIT’s research mission.
The internship component is what most significantly distinguishes the Ellison Scholars Programme from other Oxford funding. No other undergraduate Oxford scholarship places scholars inside an active research and technology institute for ten paid weeks every summer of their degree. For students who want not just an Oxford education but a direct pathway into applied scientific research and technology innovation, this distinction is significant.
Students who have won places on the programme through the first and second cohorts in 2025 and 2026 can be found on the EIT’s Meet the Students page, which provides a useful sense of the academic and personal profiles that have been selected so far.
What the Application Requires
The EIT recommends that prospective applicants complete the eligibility checker on the undergraduate page before beginning a formal application. The checker asks four questions about Oxford entry qualifications, grade requirements, English language requirements, and EIT selection criteria.
The full application is submitted through ellisonscholars.eit.org/undergraduate. The EIT offers online information sessions where prospective applicants can meet the team and learn more about the programme before submitting. These sessions can be registered for through the EIT student portal at studentportal.eit.org/informationsessionundergraduates.
Further details on the application process, entry requirements, and frequently asked questions are available through the EIT’s FAQs page and Resources page within the Education and Scholarships section of the EIT website.
Contact for scholarship enquiries is scholars@eit.org or by phone at +44 1865 649520.
Key Facts Summary
| Detail | Information |
| Programme | Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme |
| Host institution | University of Oxford |
| Administering organisation | Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford |
| Funding | Full financial support for undergraduate study at Oxford |
| Additional component | Paid 10-week summer internships at EIT Oxford each year |
| Application open | 1 May 2026 |
| Application deadline | 31 July 2026 |
| Target intake year | October 2027 |
| Eligible courses | Any undergraduate course at the University of Oxford |
| Eligibility | Must meet Oxford entry requirements and EIT selection criteria |
| Geographic restriction | None stated beyond Oxford admissions requirements |
| Application portal | ellisonscholars.eit.org/undergraduate |
| Contact | scholars@eit.org |
Apply here: Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme
Final Thoughts
An Oxford degree is already one of the most recognised academic credentials in the world. What the Ellison Scholars Programme adds to that is something that very few undergraduate scholarships anywhere provide: structured, paid, mentored exposure to applied scientific research on problems that actually matter, conducted inside a well-funded research institute with direct links to some of the leading scientists and technologists working on those problems today.
For students who are interested in careers at the intersection of science, technology, and global impact, this is not just funding. It is a three or four year apprenticeship inside an environment that most researchers would not encounter until their PhD or postdoctoral years, conducted while simultaneously completing one of the world’s most demanding and respected undergraduate degrees.
The July 31 deadline is the most important date in this entire article. Applications opened on 1 May 2026 and close on 31 July 2026. If you meet the eligibility criteria and the EIT’s research mission resonates with what you want to do with your career, this is an application that deserves serious attention before that window closes.
If you are exploring other fully funded undergraduate opportunities, The Lantern Post has covered a wide range of scholarships for international students including our guide to top 30 undergraduate scholarships in the United States, undergraduate scholarships in the UK, fully funded scholarships to study in Europe, and for students who are already thinking about what comes after their undergraduate degree, our coverage of 16 Masters Scholarships in Data Science and AI is a useful next step.
Also on The Lantern Post:
- Rhodes Scholarship 2027 Applications are Now Open
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- Top 17 Masters Scholarships in Computer Science and IT
- 15 Fully Funded Masters Scholarships in Engineering
